NASCAR Executives and Michael Jordan Displayed Tensions in Intense Court Hearing

      Sean Gardner/Getty Images

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      NASCAR and 23XI Racing are embroiled in a contentious legal battle, alleging that the sanctioning body’s charter system enables it to operate a monopolistic and anti-competitive scheme. As both sides engaged in a discovery phase throughout the summer, tensions escalated during a hearing in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday. The court session revealed text exchanges in which 23XI co-owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan expressed their contempt for NASCAR’s France family and other teams’ collaboration with them.

      The discovery process allowed each party access to pertinent communications from their adversaries, leading to the revelation of these messages. Collectively, they demonstrate the animosity present in this legal conflict, which began officially when 23XI filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and the France family in October 2024. NASCAR responded with a countersuit in March 2025, accusing 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports of operating as an "illegal cartel" by interfering in broadcast negotiations and orchestrating a boycott among teams.

      Two quotations stand out for their bluntness, one from Hamlin and the other from 23XI President Steve Lauletta. First, Hamlin stated:

      “In short, I’m in for the fight with NASCAR. My disdain for the France family is profound, but whatever we do, let’s not jeopardize our own business over principle. Love you all and thank you for allowing me to be a part of it.”

      Next, Lauletta responded to Hamlin on June 6, 2024, saying:

      “I wish I knew the best course of action and investment. Sticking around for the long haul and [NASCAR CEO] Jim [France] passing on might be the solution.”

      Getty Images

      Although the legal dispute between NASCAR and 23XI commenced less than a year ago, the underlying tension dates back further. Hamlin publicly criticized the charter system in February 2023, asserting that teams needed a “permanent” guarantee to race in order to preserve their value. He argued that if NASCAR could choose not to renew a team's charter, it would be financially illogical. Jordan echoed this perspective in May 2024, stating, “If you don’t fix that, the sport’s going to die—not due to competition, but because it no longer makes sense economically for business people.”

      Last year, 23XI Racing declined to sign a new charter agreement, purposely missing the deadline of September 7. Text messages reveal that Jordan wished other teams had participated in the stance. Court documents included a message exchange between Jordan and his business partner Curtis Polk after learning Joe Gibbs Racing had signed a new charter deal at the last moment:

      “Gibbs signed?” Jordan inquired.

      “Yep,” Polk replied. “Sounds like he got a last-minute deal that will be noted in a side letter, though I’m unsure of the specifics.”

      “F*ckers!!!!” Jordan responded. “I think people see our fight. Good things will come from this. Teams will regret not backing us. P*ssies!!!!!!”

      NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps (foreground) and President Steve O’Donnell (background). Getty Images

      NASCAR officials also had their share of unflattering messages brought to light in court. Steve Phelps, the commissioner, expressed frustration over the conversations with teams, stating that they had been terrible. He remarked that charters “must reflect a middle ground or we are doomed — they will sign them but we are f*cked moving ahead.”

      NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell also criticized an initial charter proposal, saying it would have reverted NASCAR back to the state it was in 1996, which he described as “f*ck the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport,” he noted.

      This culminated in a rare media response from Jordan outside the courtroom on Thursday, where he said, “Look, I’ve been a fan of the game for a long time. Since we began this process, I have always aimed to fight for the betterment of the sport. Even though they tried to emphasize that we’ve made some profits and had a successful business, that’s not the issue. The key point is that the sport must constantly evolve for the fans, the teams, and NASCAR as well, if they recognize that.

      “I believe we made a strong statement today about this, and I’m prepared to go down fighting. If it takes a fight to the finish for the betterment of the sport, I’m committed to that.”

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